Barry Castle: What
remains of the castle can be described as a fortified manor house. The present
remains consist of a gateway and wall of a storage basement with banqueting hall
above dating from the early 14th Century. Barry was a sub-manor of
Penmark and was probably held by the de Barri family from the twelfth to the mid
fourteenth. The castle was partly ruined by 1530 but manorial courts were held
in the gatehouse up to 1720.

The Bulwarks: A large iron Age hillfort between
Porthkerry and Rhoose 700 BC - 100 AD. The defences consist of an outer ditch and
two massive closely set banks. Excavation has revealed some rectangular
buildings, the latest being 3rd - 4th Century AD indicating it was in use well
into Roman times.

Button: Thomas Button was born around 1570. His family
seat was called Worleton but this was later moved to a building on the site of
what is now Dyffryn House. In 1589 he went to sea, moving steadily through the
ranks and in 1612 led an expedition to discover the North-West passage. He was
the first to cross the Hudson Bay from East to West and discovered the Western
Shore which he named New Wales. He contributed much to science through careful
cartography and astronomical calculations on this trip, became an Admiral and
was knighted in 1616, dying in 1634. There is a Button Chapel at St Lythans
church. (Source: Glamorgan Historian, vol.4)

Admiral Sir Thomas Button

Cliffwood Cottage:
The original cottage was built in 1583 but the most notable occupant was Anne
Jenkin. She was a reputed witch and was examined for Devil’s Marks by
magistrates from Cowbridge. A young man and his servant bought a love potion
from Anne but refused to pay her. She cursed them and they never emerged from
the wood but still stand close by as a tall straight tree and a shorter crooked
one.

Cliffwood: First
mentioned in 1578 and in the 18th Century the oak was cut for
ship-building and oak bark used for tanning. Part of the wood is known as Coed
yr Odyn (The Kiln Wood) which was used for limestone burning. The kilns and
quarries can still be found in the wood. In 1970 Cliffwood was designated a
Local Nature Reserve, the first in Wales.

Cold Knap Farm: Cold
Knap Farm was first built in the 1570s and the house was then enlarged at the
beginning of the 17th Century and has remained virtually unaltered
since. One of the inhabitants was Richard Garby, a farmer and collector of
payments for shipments, but also a smuggler.

A World War I veteran recreates a
battlefield scene on Barry Island sands. Reproduced from 'Old Barry in Photographs,
Vol.3' by Brian C Luxton, published by Stewart Williams, Barry.

Cwrtyrala. The house is associated
with Sir Walter Raleigh. The word Cwrtyrala is a Welsh version of Court of
Raleigh. This is the fourth building to have been sited here. It was once owned
by the de Reigney family and then passed by marriage to the Raleigh family of
Devon. From this family, but much later, came Sir Walter.

Cwrt-yr-Ala house in the 1920s. This
Italianate villa was replaced in 1940.

Glan-y-Mor Roman Villa:
The structure was probably built in the early 290s AD at a time when the west
coast of Wales and the Bristol Channel were threatened by raids from Irish
pirates. After a very short life systematic stripping and demolition of the
building was undertaken by the Romans but there is evidence for subsequent
reoccupation after 350AD and then again in the early 7th Century and
10th Century.

Tinkinswood
Burial Chamber. This is a long cairn dating from 4,000BC with what many
consider the largest capstone in Britain. For more on Tinkinswood, click here.

Watchtower: The
Watch Tower and Rocket Shed are reminders of a time when this spot marked the
entrance to Barry’s busy port. They were originally built in the 1860s by the
Coastguard for storing and firing distress or warning rockets.

The Watchtower

Woodland Trust: Pen y Turnpike
wood was recently acquired. You enter this first before moving into Casehill
wood. Cwm
George wood may have existed since the end of the last ice
age. It is a deep limestone gorge with cliffs on the western side. On the east
of the gorge is a wooded hill crowned by an Iron Age hillfort and another
earthwork feature - an important settlement in the Dark Ages. The three woods
cover over 200 acres. For more on the
Woodland Trust click here.

Farming: For much of the coast path you
are walking on or near farmland. A free leaflet in the Glamorgan Heritage Coast
series, entitled Food for You, gives background information on local farming.
Main breeds of cattle are Friesian, Welsh Black, Charolais and Hereford. The
sheep are mainly Suffolk and Welsh Mountain. Lambs and beef calves born further
north are brought to the coast to overwinter and fatten. Crops include winter
wheat, barley and oats along with root crops for winter cattle and sheep feed
such as potatoes, swedes, turnips, cabbage, kale and rape.

Fish and Fishing: The title of a
free leaflet in the Glamorgan Heritage Coast series which gives a brief
introduction to the sorts of fish to be found along the coast including Bass,
Cod, Conger, Dab, Dogfish, Monkfish, Pouting, Tope, Turbot and Rays.

Marconi: On May 13th 1897 Guglielmo
Marconi transmitted the first ever wireless signals over water from Lavernock to
Flatholm Island. The project had been supported by William Preece,
Engineer-in-Chief to the Post Office and George Kemp was a Post Office engineer
working with Marconi who kept a diary of the trials. Tests over this 3.3 mile
distance were sufficiently encouraging for the receiving equipment to be moved
to Brean Down near Weston-super-Mare, the transmission distance now 10 miles.

Seawatch Centre: This centre is
housed in a converted H.M. Coastguard Station and offers visitors a chance to
learn about the sea and how it affects us. It is equipped with a range of Marine
V.H.F. radio receivers and navigational and meteorological instruments. Ideal
for school groups. NOTE that the Seawatch Centre is not open very often so for
opening times and days and for more information call the Glamorgan Heritage Coast Centre
on 01656 880157 or the Seawatch Centre on 01446 795203.

Shipping: Walking the Coast Path gives
ample opportunity to watch the different sorts of ships that move up and down
the Bristol Channel. The largest are bulk carriers along with oil tankers and
liquid gas carriers. There are cargo liners, the fruit ships of the Geest line,
coasters, container ships, dredgers, research ships, plus car carriers, cable
layers and passenger ferries. For more information with ship outlines and
company funnel markings there is a free leaflet in the Glamorgan Heritage Coast
series, Ships that Pass, available from the Heritage Coast Centre.

St Baruch's Chapel: St Baruch, to whom the chapel is dedicated
was a disciple of St Cadoc the founder of the monastery at Llancarfan in the 6th
Century. The legend records that in 700 AD the monks and friars left their
monastery and walked to Barry Island as was their custom - a periodic retreat
from the world for up to 6 weeks to pray and meditate. They took a boat from
Barry Island to Holm Island to seek solitude. On returning to Barry Island they
discovered they had lost their Saints Enchiridon handbook behind. St Cadoc sent
St Baruch and St Gweldes back to retrieve the book but while recrossing they
were drowned. The body of Baruch was recovered and buried on the island. He was
revered as a saint for many miles around and people came flocking to the island
to see his burial place which they regarded as sacred. The chapel was later
built on this spot by monks becoming known as St Baruch's shrine. As time went
on the island became known as Baruch's Island and with years of usage developed
to Barry Island. (From information board on site).

St Lawrence's church. This
small church is at Lavernock not far from the cliff-top. It is constructed of
local Lias limestone and the lack of windows in the north wall suggests it is of
mediaeval origin, possibly late 12th century. The stonework and roof date from
1852.

Summerhouse Point. The
Summerhouse was built in around 1730 by the Seys family. The Summerhouse is
octagonal and set within an octagonal enclosure. The wall with its two turrets
would have provided shelter for the enclosure and there would have been fine
views out across the channel. The adjoining cottage was occupied by the
caretaker and the building was still inhabited in the 1920s. Surrounding the
Summerhouse is an Iron Age fort dated 700BC to 100AD. The fort has several
ramparts and is semi-circular with the sheer sea cliff on the South side. For
more details see The Story of Summerhouse Point - a leaflet in the Glamorgan
Heritage Coast series.

Wild Flowers of the Coast:
The title of a free leaflet in the Glamorgan Heritage Coast Series. For detailed
descriptions of most wildlife found along the coast see also the Mary Gilham
books such as 'Sea Cliffs'. Wildflower walks are offered during the Spring and Summer
by the Kenfig National Nature Reserve and the Heritage Coast Centre does walks
often with a Natural History theme. Check the Guided
Walks section.

Cosmeston

Cosmeston Mediaeval
Village: This is a re-creation of a nearby community, dating back some 600
years with a manor house, bakehouse and mill. You can still see the base of a
large stone dovecote in the field adjacent to the present village. The Costentin
family were Lords of the Manor but by the middle of the 15th century the
population had declined and the manor was in ruins. At certain times of the year
special events are held here such as Mediaeval Fairs and Banquets. The site has
been a winner of a 'Heritage in Britain' award.

Sully: A long, narrow parish which, whilst
appearing modern, dates back to Norman times and earlier. Little remains of
Sully castle which was linked to the de Sully family who were lords of the
manor, also founding the church of St John the Baptist. Excavations in the 1960s
showed occupation of the castle site went back to Romano-British times, followed
by a 12th century earthwork, stone keep and fortified manor house. At the
western end of the village towards Barry was situated Sully Hospital, currently
being redeveloped. The building has been described as a particularly good
example of inter-war Functional architecture and was designed by W. A. Pite, Son
and Fairweather. Pioneering work was carried out here on Tuberculosis and it was
one of the best-equipped chest hospitals in Britain. On Sully's foreshore and to
the west towards Bendricks Rock can be found several sets of dinosaur
footprints.

Sully Island: On Sully Island is an
Iron Age hillfort dating to between 700BC and 100AD. More of a defended
homestead than a large settlement, the most obvious part is the bank which is up
to 2 metres high. It is possible to walk over to the island at low tide but is
only safe up to 2 hours either side of low tide - the incoming tide can be very
dangerous.

The Captains Wife: This pub and
restaurant is at Swanbridge, close to Sully. Sully House was once situated here
and it was lived in by a sea captain. On one of his voyages he was accompanied
by his wife who died at sea. Sailors are particularly superstitious about having
corpses on board so the captain hid the body, doubled up, in a lead-lined box.
On his return the captain buried the box in the woods near Sully House whilst
arrangements were made to get a proper coffin and organise burial. When he
returned the box and body had disappeared - it was assumed taken by one of the
crew members who thought the box contained treasure. The wife's ghost was said
to roam the area seeking her resting place. However, during a recent renovation,
the doubled-up body of a woman was found under flagstones in the stables - the
skeleton was re-buried and the ghost of the Captain's Wife was never seen again.

Coed-y-Bwl
Nature Reserve: Situated at Castle-upon-Alun. The only daffodil wood in Glamorgan with around a quarter of a
million ‘wild’ daffodils. The reserve was established in 1971 and in 1975
received a Prince of Wales trust award. The daffodils were planted in the early
nineteenth century by Mrs Nicholl of Merthyr Mawr. The flowers were known
locally as TWM DILIES. Depending on the climate, best visited March. By
the road is an old stone pack-horse or clapper
bridge. Other plants include
moschatel, wood anemone, pignut, sedges, spindle, yellow archangel, wild privet,
wood melick grass, hart's-tongue fern and lesser celandine. The pond between the
wall and the road has numerous frogs along with the unusual Pick-a-back plant
surrounding it.

Dunraven House:
The Welsh name for it was Dundryfan which
indicates a triangular fortress and on the headland is an Iron Age hillfort with
hut sites and pillow mounds. Claimed to be the principal residence of the
ancient Princes of Siluria and of Bran ap Llyr and his son Caradoc ap Bran –
also known as Caractacus. It is mentioned in an old manuscript – the Bonedd y
Saint. A nearby farm is called Cae Caradoc which means Caradoc’s field. In the
12th Century, the Norman, Arnold le Boteler (later Butler) received the land
from Maurice de Londres and built the first stone building here. The rent was
three golden chalices of wine, hence the Three Golden Cups pub nearby. The manor of Dunraven was first recorded in 1542 by Leland,
official antiquities recorder to Henry VIII. In 1776
it was illustrated by one S. Hooper as a substantial residence with
outbuildings. Ownership passed from the Butlers to the Vaughans and then
Wyndhams who built Dunraven Castle in 1803 standing in this magnificent setting on the promontory of Witch's
Point.

Left, the Ice House and right interior of
the walled garden at Dunraven House

Later extensive alterations were made by Thomas and Anne
Wyndham and North and South wings were added. The manor house and garden
walls were castellated, giving rise to the misnomer Dunraven Castle. Following
the great Victorian interest in horticulture Caroline, first Countess of
Dunraven, introduced a luxuriant collection of exotic plants. The Ice House
tower was constructed over a basin-shaped cellar. Ice was collected in Winter
and stored here between layers of straw, brushwood and logs for Summer use. It
was used as a convalescent home during the Second World War and then in 1962
after no buyer could be found, was dynamited. If when strolling around the
grounds you pick up the scent of mimosa, do not look over your shoulder for the
Blue Lady of Dunraven who haunts the site could be nearby. On the rocks there
are anemones and crabs accompanied by winkles, limpets, top shells and common
dog whelks. Wildflowers include spurge laurel and stinking hellebore along with
snowdrops and primroses. The turf, which is kept short by rabbits, is good for
wrinkled and banded snails.

Monks Wood. This
embryonic wood was created by the Woodland Trust in 1998. It is a Community Wood
at just over 10 acres. New planting includes Ash, Oak, Rowan, Willow,
Blackthorn, Purging Buckthorn, Wayfaring Tree, Spindle, Wild Rose, Gorse. Whilst
there are few trees in the countryside around here the name Wick or Y Wig
suggests there was woodland at some time. There is a pond with Bulrushes.

Ogmore Castle: Established
around 1116. For a more detailed description of the site with photographs click here

Pant Marie Flanders: This
well, classed as an ancient monument, is reputed still to produce good quality
water. It once served as the source of water supply for the hamlet of
Heol-y-Mynydd, situated at the head of the valley. The valley is said to be
named after a local resident, Marie Flanders, renowned as a weaver and
presumably of Flemish origins.

Altmark: This
fishing vessel with a crew of one, who got off safely, ran aground in 1959.
However, this is only one of the many wrecks that have occurred along this
stretch of coastline down the centuries and the looting of wrecks proved to be a
profitable occupation for the locals. In 1694 a Portuguese vessel came to grief
but its cargo of orange trees is said to have led to the building of the
orangery at Margam to house them. More recently in 1947 the Liberty Ship,
Samtampa, ran aground on Sker Rocks with the loss of all 39 crew. The lifeboat,
the Edward, Prince of Wales, which set out on a rescue mission was also wrecked
here with the loss of the 8 crew members.

Bando:
Below is a
picture of Mrs Janet Davies wielding a ‘bando’ stick. During the eighteenth
and nineteenth century the game of bando was played with curved ash sticks and
balls of stuffed leather. It took place on Kenfig sands from one goal at the
River Kenfig and the other at Sker rocks two miles away. In 1817, some 3,000
people turned out to watch a match between Margam and Newton Nottage.

Mrs Davies with bando stick

Kenfig Pool: The
Legend. A peasant once killed and robbed a local lord to impress a daughter of
one of the Earls de Clare whom he later married. At the wedding feast a voice
was heard saying that vengeance would come with the ninth generation of the
murdered lord’s family. When the ninth descendant turned up, the voice was
heard again. There was a rush of water from the sea engulfing the town. The
bells of the church can still be heard during storms under Kenfig Pool. If you
look at the pool you will see some old ruins – the remains of the town. (If
you prefer historical accuracy to romance, note that these are the remains of a
Victorian boathouse).

Kenfig Castle:
Whilst a town lying at the bottom of Kenfig Pool may seem fanciful, the truth is
that there was a sizeable town here and it was buried – not by water but
by sand. A stone axe and arrowheads suggest occupation from Neolithic times and
pieces of Romano-British pottery indicate a Roman presence – a Roman road also
runs nearby. The Normans built Kenfig Castle in the 12th Century and
in 1147 Kenfig was incorporated as a Borough. The keep was possibly 50 foot high
and what you see is all that remains of the top. The Borough was frequently
attacked by the Welsh but by 1307 it had a population of 700-800 people with a
leper hospital, watermill and windmill. The River Kenfig would have been deep
enough for small ships to reach the town. However, from the 14th
Century sand to started to encroach, gradually covering the buildings and by
1654 only one family was left living near the castle. St James’s Church was
originally built here about 1150 but as the sand encroached it was dismantled
and rebuilt stone-by-stone at Pyle. If you visit the church there you will see
that, unusually, the smallest stones are at the base of the building. More
information on the history of Kenfig can be found in the series of booklets
produced by the Kenfig Society and available in the Reserve Centre. See also ‘The
Story of Kenfig’ by A. Leslie Evans (Port Talbot 1960). For more on Kenfig
Castle, click here

Llanmihangel Farm.
This very fine farmhouse dates from about 1600 with most of the two-light
windows surviving. In one of the farm buildings passed just down the road is
embedded part of the wall of the barn of a grange of Margam Abbey. It has been
estimated that the barn was originally nearly 100 foot long.

Nature Reserve: For
information about the reserve contact The Warden, Kenfig National Nature
Reserve, Ton Kenfig, Pyle, CF 33 4 PT. Telephone 01656 743386 or Fax 01656
745940. The reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the last remnants
of a huge sand dune system that once stretched along the coast of South Wales
from the River Ogmore to the Gower. It is now home to thousands of species of
animals and plants including the rare Fen Orchid for which the site is
internationally famous. You can also find frogs, toads, newts along with
dragonflies and damselflies in the summer. There are several bird hides overlooking the 70 acre
freshwater pool, a favourite refuge for wildfowl at all times of year. Birdlife
includes whooper, Bewick and mute swans, goldeneye, great crested grebe, teal
and redshank around the pool with peregrine, merlin, short-eared owl and
stonechat in the dunes. Go to the
Guided Walks section to see Kenfig Reserve's events programme.

Prince of Wales
Inn: This
has been the location of the Guild Hall for the Borough of Kenfig since it was
built in the 16th Century. However, what you see now dates from its
rebuilding in 1808. The Guild Hall room was above the Inn and it was here that
the Burgesses met, court was held and rights exercised as laid down in the
Kenfig Charters. The Inn is reputed to be haunted.

Sker House:
A
widower, Old Davy, is fishing by Sker Rocks when he comes across a small boat.
"In the stern-sheets, fast asleep, with the baby face towards me, lay a
little child in white. Something told me that it was not dead, or even ailing;
only adrift upon the world, and not at all aware of it". The unknown waif,
Bardie, grows up in her lowly surroundings to become an enchanting young lady,
beloved by the local villagers as their ‘Maid of Sker’. This then is the
title of a book by R. D. Blackmore, author of Lorna Doone, and he considered The
Maid of Sker was his best novel. Whilst living in the West Country R. D. Blackmore used to
stay with relatives near Porthcawl and Sker House and this part of the
Glamorganshire coast made a sufficient impression on him to lead to the writing
of the Maid of Sker published three years after Lorna Doone. Long since out of
print, a copy of the book is available in Cardiff Central Library but is not on
the shelves – just ask the librarians.

Sker House itself has a long and interesting
history and has been restored. A grange belonging to the monks of Neath Abbey
existed here in the 13th Century with part of the present building
dating from the 16th Century but most from the 17th
Century. The Turberville family owned it after the Dissolution of the
Monasteries. It is said to have a ghost (another Maid of Sker!), Elizabeth
Williams, who is believed to have been forced to marry against her will. However,
the booklet ‘Folktales of Pyle and Kenfig’, published by the Kenfig Society,
considers this improbable and refers to another story, this time concerning one
Martha Howells.

St James
Church, Pyle. This was built in the 15th Century and was largely
reconstructed from the old church in Kenfig sands, hence the smaller stones
being at the bottom and larger ones above. One of the wall-plates in the nave is
dated 1471. A monument to Edward Thomas dates to 1693.

Llantwit Major and St.
Donats:

Belvedere: The word is derived from the Italian
meaning a 'fair view' and it refers to an architectural structure often built in
the upper part of a building but also, as here, freestanding so as to command a
good view. You will find Belvederes throughout Western civilization from Vienna
to New York and there are many Hotel Belvederes. The artist Escher (drawings of
buildings, steps etc, which appear to defy logic) had one of his best-known
creations called the Belvedere.

Boverton Place: This substantial Tudor house was
built by Roger Seys, Attorney General for Wales in the 1590s, who had married
Elizabeth Voss. It is believed to hold the largest ivy bush in Wales. It was the
Seys family who built the Summerhouse in the
1730s.

Castle ditches: This
encampment dates from the latter part of the pre-Roman Iron Age and is a typical
promontory fort depending for its defence on a combination of steep-sided
valleys and cliffs. It may have been used until the 12th Century when
it offered protection to local inhabitants. Until the 19th Century
this event was re-enacted by local people on the 3rd May and known as
the Annwyl Day Celebrations on Col-Huw meadow.

Columbarium: This dovecote
would have been built by the monks in the 13th Century and the birds
would have been used as a food supply. High on the outside walls a timber
platform was fixed which enabled the dovecote to be turned into a defensive
tower when necessary. The fields in which it is situated have been cultivated
for centuries and the mounds in the grass show the line of the mediaeval walls.

Left, the Columbarium. Right, the Gatehouse

Gatehouse: This is the 13th
Century gatehouse to the Norman monastic grange. You can still see where the
gateway entrance was in the side of the building and the pedestrian door is
still in use. In the field behind are the remains of the foundations of the 12th
Century monastery buildings.

Hillhead Cottages:
These were once almshouses for the poor. Alongside the cottages is an ancient
flight of steps known as ‘Big Man's’ or ‘Pig Man’s’ steps. They are an
awkward length as they take one and a half paces but it is said that the monks
who made them would have taken shorter paces because of their long robes.

Llantwit Major: With
evidence of cultivation from the 3rd millennium BC Llantwit has a
long history. A Roman villa was found nearby which by the 4th Century
AD had 52 rooms and 2 courtyards. The town is well hidden from the coast which
would have given some protection from marauders from the sea and it was here
that St Illtyd, born about 425 AD established a mission centre. By this time
communication was mainly by sea and Breton traditions indicate that Llanilltud
was where many of the founding Saints came from including Samson of Dol, Gildas
the Wise and Paul Aurelian. The beach by the car park is the site of the Port of
Col-Huw, originating in the 5th Century with boats crossing the
Bristol Channel to Somerset and Devon. It was destroyed by storms in the 16th
Century and was never rebuilt. For more on the history of the town see ‘Llantwit
Major, A History and Guide’ edited by LV Kelly and published by the Llantwit
Major Local History Society. On the beach you can find rocks with tunnels made
by rock-boring bi-valves. On the cliffs are rock sea-lavender, samphire, thrift,
wild carrot along with stonechats and meadow pipits. In the Col Huw valley are
wild madder, stinking iris and bloody-nosed beetles. Further inland are red
valerian, wall pennywort and yellow stonecrop.

Marcross church

Marcross Church of the Holy
Trinity: Built by the
Normans in the 12th Century and displays some interesting architectural features
including an unusual font, a tower with a gabled roof and a leper's window
through which people with infectious diseases could see the altar. In the
churchyard a bronze sundial is mounted on the base of a mediaeval cross.

Monknash Grange: This was
one of the largest monastic farms in Glamorgan, the land having been given to
Neath Abbey in the 12th Century. It covers around 8 hectares throughout which
you can see ruined stone buildings, ditches and levelled areas. The main
entrance is thought to have been near the Forge. The dovecot or columbarium is
one of the best-preserved buildings and on the inside there are a few remaining
nesting boxes. These were used to supply meat in the Middle Ages and you can
compare this with the columbarium at Llantwit Major, further up this page. There
is also one in Cadoxton in Barry and others can be found at St Fagans and
Sutton. The 64 metre long great barn, to the
South-East of the site is amongst the biggest monastic barns in Britain.

Nash Point: There are some barely visible remains in
the car park of a Long Cairn in an egg-shape and now covered in grass and gorse.
It was described in 1811 as an ancient cromlech and was according to tradition
the place of worship of the old village, known locally as Hen Eglwys, (Old
Church). The Iron Age promontory fort is one of several along the Heritage
coast, protecting a potential landing point from coastal raiders. These were
built between around 700 BC and the Roman invasion. Most of the fort has been
destroyed by cliff erosion. If you stand on the cliff top here you can make
out an oval mound close by. This is a late mediaeval pillow mound thought to be
an artificial rabbit warren. In the valley, Cwm Marcross, are a variety of
plants and animals typical of a lime-rich soil. Local butterflies include the
Grayling and Dingy Skipper.

Nash Point Lighthouses: A public outcry in 1832
followed the loss of 40 lives when the passenger steamer Frolic ran aground on
Nash Point sandbank. The two lighthouse towers were built 1,000 feet apart and
carefully positioned so that they could be aligned by ships sailing up the
channel. Navigation buoys were anchored on the sandbank at the same time. The
high lighthouse is 37 metres high and was originally painted with black and
white stripes. It was the last manned lighthouse in Wales with the keepers
finally leaving on August 5th 1998. The
grassy area around the lighthouses is covered in cowslips in late Spring. Behind
the lighthouse buildings is Nash Lighthouse meadow, an unploughed limestone
pasture which contains the Tuberous Thistle, Cirsuim Tuberosum.

St Donats Castle: What is the connection between
'Rosebud' and St. Donats? The 1937 film, Citizen Kane, the main character played
by Orson Welles, depicted the rise and fall of a business magnate, based on the
character William Randolph Hearst who founded and lost an American newspaper
empire. At the end of the film we are left with the mystery, who was Rosebud?
Hearst bought St Donats in 1925, spent a huge sum restoring and extending it for
his lover, the actress Marion Davies, and introduced a period when St Donats was
visited by many famous people including Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, John
F Kennedy, David Lloyd George, Arthur Conan Doyle. The castle itself may be
based on Norman foundations with parts of the visible castle built in the 12th
Century. The Great Hall and Priest's room are 15th Century. Today it is Atlantic
College, a muilticultural campus with students from all over the world. For more
on the history of St Donats try 'The Story of St Donats Castle and Atlantic
College' edited by Roy Deming and for the period when Hearst was
owner, 'Hearst's Other Castle' by Enfys McMurry. The castle and grounds are not
open to the public but if you wish to visit there are visitor days. The annual
craft fair is a good opportunity to see some of the rooms and to make the odd
purchase. For more on the castle click here
and here.

St Donats Church: There is a
belief that a church stood here since Celtic, possibly even Roman, times. Before
the Normans the church was known as Llanwerydd, the church of St. Gwerydd, but
this was later changed to St Donat who became the patron saint of sailors. The
original church of the current building dates from around 1100 with extensions
and rebuilding around 1300 and again in the early 15th century. The lectern is
in fact an ambo, a stand for reading the lessons in early churches and is a
genuine mediaeval Breton piece. Inside in the Lady Chapel are tombs and wall
monuments to various members of the Stradling family. In the churchyard are two
Calvary crosses, the one on the North side being late 19th century but the one
on the South side is 15th Century with its original head. The head is of Sutton
stone, the shaft Quarella stone and the base Lias limestone. (Notes from the
Guide to st Donats Church).

St. Illtyd's Church:
This is a welcoming church and well-worth visiting. Many of the features to be
found are described in ‘The Pilgrim’s Guide to St Illtyd’s Church’ which
for a small sum can be purchased in the church. This was the site of the
original 6th Century church of St Illtyd but the present building
dates from the 12th Century. You will find examples of Celtic wheel
crosses, the old curfew bell, effigies of a monk and a lady thought to have died
in childbirth, wall paintings dating back to the 1400s, a Jesse tree, a Norman
font and many old memorial stones. The hatchment of the Carne family shows a
bleeding pelican – the pelican was believed to feed its young by plucking at
its breast, a link here with the Pelican Inn near Ogmore Castle. Outside you
will find a ruined Chantry. Near this was a building used by the Chantry priest
which survived until hit by a bomb in 1940 and is now a garden of remembrance.
John Wesley preached at the church in 1777.

St Illtyd's Church

Town Hall: A 17th
Century building with a clock over 100 years old and the Town Crier’s steps
where news and forthcoming events were shouted out. The Information Centre is
worth visiting for the local information on display and the publications for
sale.

Trebeferad: This was to form the
nucleus of a new village created for unemployed miners who were resettled from the Valleys giving them fresh air and an opportunity to work in
agriculture. It dates from 1936.

Tresilian: At low tide at the
right-hand edge of the bay you will find a substantial cave. The bay and cave of
Tresilian are named after the 4th Century Prince (later Saint) Silian.
The houses by the bay are believed to be where he held court but they also have
associations with smuggling. Inside Tresilian cave you will see a natural arch a
few feet below the roof, known as the bow of destiny. Lovers who wished to know
how long it would be before they married came here. The man would try to throw a
round pebble over the arch so that it landed without hitting the arch or roof.
The number of attempts before succeeding indicated how many years they would
have to wait before marrying.

Ewenny Priory: The Norman
church was built by William de Londres and the Priory was founded as a cell of the
Benedictine Abbey of Gloucester by his son Maurice de Londres, Lord of Ogmore in 1141.
The 12th Century East end of the church, together with the precinct walls and
its gates are in the hands of CADW. Peacocks roam the gardens which are not open
to the public. For more click here.

Baptismal Pond: This was
once used for the baptism of members of the Congregation of Bethal Chapel. It is
thought that the last baptism here was performed around 1900 - more recently it
has been used for watering cattle. The pool is fed by ground water and overflows
into the Nant which crosses the road via an underground culvert and flows
through the Priory grounds into the River Ewenny (Groundwork Ogwr leaflet)

Candleston Castle: This was a fortified manor house of the
14th century. For more on the castle, click here

Merthyr Mawr: The name is probably a corruption of Merthyr
Myfor, 'the place where St Myfor was martyred'. The present church dates back to
the middle of the 19th century but was built on an ancient site - stones dating
from the 5th century have been found suggesting there was an important early
Christian cemetery here. (Groundwork Ogwr leaflet). A sundial from 1720 can be
seen on the church wall and there are several old tombs in the churchyard. The
area of dunes is now a designated national nature reserve. Amongst the wide
range of fauna and flora you could find the uncommon sandhill snail and tiny
wall whorl snail. There is an extensive - and spreading - area of Birthwort (SS
85956/76703).

Wells: Sandford's Well, dedicated to St John the Baptist. Sir
John Stradling of St Donats Castle, 'a very learned knight', as William Camden,
the King's antiquary calls him, wrote a poem first published in the Latin
edition of Brittannia in 1607. The poem is reproduced by the side of the well
and refers to the Nymph, the River Severn, suggesting that as the tide comes in
the water from the well goes down but re-emerges as the tide goes out. The
Ffynnon Fawr well is reputed to have the best-tasting water in the area but
sadly offers only a time-capsule of early 21st century rubbish. St Davids Well
or Fynnon Dewi - this well gives its name to the ancient dell of Dewiscumbe,
mentioned in a 12th century grant of William, Earl of Gloucester, to Richard of
Cardiff of Nova Villa in Margan.